Fang
by Person95
Summary: This is The Angel Experiment book one in Fang's POV. What was Fang thinking when Max was gone and possibly dead?
1. Chapter 1

**This is Person95. Okay. This is just a crazy idea I had. I mean nobody has been doing the first book in Fang's POV so I said: 'I wonder what Fang was thinking in book one.' So then I got the idea: 'I'll write the first book in Fang's POV!' There. That was my thinking plan.**

I was running. Erasers were everywhere, watching, waiting. Waiting for me to make a mistake, waiting to hurt me. I think I was six at the time; I knew it was a dream and I wanted to wake up, to stop the inevitable demise of my younger self, but you can never change a memory.

The treadmill sped up and the Erasers chuckled and got ready to attack me. My younger self was doing the speed experiment. The speed experiment was when they would make you run on the treadmill while they would turn up the speed, slow at first until you were running as fast as you can and then when you stop or can't run fast enough the treadmill coughs you up and you fall into a pit full of Erasers who are out for your blood.

The speed increased more, and more, and more until I was running as fast as I could. Then it increased more. I felt that sickening feeling in my stomach that I always got when I knew I failed and would get a couple new broken bones. Right when the first claw hit me I learned something. Only the lucky ones die.

I jolted upright in bed. My heart beat was uneven. Even though no one would notice my heart beat I spent the next two minutes slowing it down and then another two minutes getting dressed. Then I walked to the kitchen to find Max leaning over, looking in the fridge. Gazzy was sitting at the table looking at me. When he opened his mouth to say hi, I put my finger to my lips and walked up behind Max.

"Will you_ quit_ that?" Max said.

Mentally I was laughing at Max's expression, but physically I was calm, cool, and collective. Calm, cool, collective. Those were my only rules, if you don't follow those rules you set yourself up for Pain and his friend Hurt. "Quit what? Breathing"

She rolled her eyes, typical Max. "You know what."

With a grunt, I finally saw Iggy appear from the sofa. "I'll make eggs," he announced. Max looked around the kitchen while Iggy staggered over to the kitchen.

"Fang? You set the table. I'll go get Nudge and Angel." And with that command I started fulfilling my duties. Gazzy at some point started to help me while singing the Constipation Song. Gotta love an eight year olds sense of humor.


	2. Erasers, Part one

**Okay, Person95 here. I got a review that I want to show you guys. here it is:**

**Amy**

**Isn't it calm, cool and collected, not collective?**

**Person95: For all I know you probably are right. But since I made the mistake in the first chapter (I'm so smart!) for my laziness I'm going to leave the first chapter the same but change the rest. Thanks Amy. And on with the program, enjoy!**

"I want to go pick strawberries today," Angel said firmly while plopping a spoonful of eggs in her mouth. "They're ripe now."

"Okay, Angel, I'll go with you," said Gazzy. After that statement he let loose his namesake and had everybody running.

"Oh, jeez, Gazzy," Max said disapprovingly.

"Gas... mask!" Iggy choked out, grasping his neck and acting like he was dying.

"I'm done," I stated. Before I could even take a breathe I jumped up from the table and put my plate in the sink. I don't care how calm you are; when you smell Gazzy's farts you'll be running as fast as you can too.

"Sorry," the Gasman said before returning to his eggs. I don't know how that kid does it.

"Yeah, Angel," Nudge started. "I think the _fresh air _would do us all good. I'll go too."

"We'll all go," Max said. I almost groaned out loud. Don't get me wrong, picking strawberries is fun... maybe. But when you're with a bunch of hyper kids you're bound to get some strawberries on your clothes or in your hair. The good thing is you can eat whenever you want. I love eating.

Outside it was, dare I say, beautiful. The sky was cloudless and the air was fresh. It was the perfect temperature where you don't need a jacket but you're not sweating your butt off.

While Angel skipped up to Max I was looking at the bushes. A bird was sitting on a branch but when it saw me looking at it it flew off. Before the bird flew out of my seeing range I noticed how it used it's tip feathers.

_One day I want to try that,_ I thought.

"If you make a cake," Angel said to Max, "I can make strawberry shortcakes."

While returning my attention to the flock I saw Gazzy impersonation Iggy. He said, "Yeah, that'll be the day, when Max makes a cake. I'll make it Angel." I taught that kid well.

Max turned around quickly and yelled at Iggy, who was laughing his pants off by the way, "Oh, thank you! Okay, I'm not a fabulous cook. But I can still kick your butt, and don't you forget it!" Okay, now I even had to smile. Nudge was trying to stifle her laughter. _Trying_.

"Was that _you?"_ Max asked the Gasman. It's about time she guessed, to be honest I'm amazed Gazzy pulled it off as long as he did. Gazzy just shrugged and grinned, obviously pleased with himself.

Before Max was able to give him that long speech about why that's not right and how it's bad Angel screamed. Not just the frustrated scream, or the 'I'm in so much pain right now' scream. It was the 'I'm so scared' scream. The worst kind.

What I saw made me want to scream too. Erasers.


	3. Erasers, Part two

**Here's the next chapter... Enjoy. Oh and I want to thank everyone who reviewed. You guys are awesome!! Okay, now here's the next chapter. Enjoy! :D**

The first person to act was Max. She flung herself at the nearest Eraser then everyone else in the Flock followed suit. An Eraser the size of a full grown bear was the one that caught my attention. He was slowly creeping up on Max who was fighting with two Erasers and actually winning.

_Not on my watch,_ I thought. Before he could touch her I jumped and aimed my feet at the base of his spine. Here is a little advice for you: Never do that to a full size Eraser because 1.) it's like hitting a fricking brick wall and 2.) have you tried hitting a brick wall? It hurts like, well, it's not polite to say.

The Eraser turned around, looking more annoyed than hurt. I scrambled to my feet. While I was trying to remember the correct fighting stance Jeb taught us, the Eraser lunged at me. It was easy to dodge and I got a good punch in. I still couldn't remember the correct stance when the Eraser lunged again, this time hitting me.

Thats when I said screw it. (Figuratively of course) I got up as fast as I could. From what I could tell I had at least two broken ribs and I would be covered in bruises by tomorrow.

He chuckled darkly. "Want to give up yet birdie?" That's it. Now it was my turn to lunge. We went into some hand to hand combat and I was winning, until two more Erasers joined our party. I felt helpless, just like in my dream. Claws everywhere, pain, so much pain. They wouldn't stop, not killing me or knocking me unconscious, just hitting me.

I heard Nudge crying, Max and an Eraser arguing but I couldn't make out the words. Then I heard a crunch, like a boot coming down on someone's head. Max's head. No. Not Max. I tried to fight harder now, adrenaline pumping through my veins, since I hadn't put up much of a fight until now I caught an Eraser off balance and he fell down hard. On me. Great. The other Eraser, now seeing me as a threat decided that now he would knock me unconscious.

The last thing I saw was his fist traveling towards my face. _Ow_.


	4. Where's Angel?

**I don't care what you say. This is awesome:**

(O.o)

o(/_._\)o

**See? Okay... **

_**AMY!!!! **_

_**Did I get your attention? Okay. I really like your reviews because they make me a better author. If you don't want to do it than it's okay.**_

**I also want to that all my reviewers: loopdiloop369, Amy, sparkleglitz01, FangForever, Nikkiluvsfang, and Mistii (Mistify). And on with the show! Enjoy!**

I don't know how long I was out, but I do know that when I did wake up I was covered by hugs and tears streaked faces. Usually I'm not one for hugs except this time I knew the flock needed it as much as I did. When they finally backed a way I took a long look at them.

Gazzy looked scared and was huddled next to Iggy, who looked like crap if I may say. Nudge was still hugging me and looked like she had been run over by a semi, not the best look. Once I realized that Angel and Max weren't part of this hugging fest I looked around the clearing.

"Where's Max and Angel?" I asked.

Iggy looked down at his feet and Gazzy looked like he was going to burst out crying. He joined Nudge and starting hugging me. Now this was a very bad sign, had something happened to Max or Angel? Were they taken by the school? Were they dead? It would be all my fault.

"Max is still passed out, but Angel. Angel was taken." Angel? I can't lie and say I didn't feel a bit of relief when Iggy said that. Max was okay. Well, maybe not _okay,_ but not dead or taken. If Max was gone I don't know what I'd do, I'd try to take care of the flock but I'm no leader. I'd need help.

"Where is Max exactly?"

"Back behind some bushes," Gazzy said. He sounded scared. Was Max in that poor of condition? I slowly got up, shaking of Nudge who _still_ hadn't let go. While I followed Iggy I assessed my injuries. Definaltly a couple broken ribs, dried blood was on my head, whether it was mine or not I'll have to get back to you on that. Bruises were everywhere, even in some places you don't want to get bruises. When we got behind the bush I finally say Max, and let me say, she wasn't in top condition.

I claw had raked her cheek and left a deep gash, her normally dirty blonde hair was covered in blood, one of her eyes looked swelled shut. I leaned over her and wondered, _What happened to you Max?_ Gazzy got on the other side of her and peered down at her bruised and bloodied face.

"Max?" The Gasman whispered. He sounded even more scared than before. A low moan sounded from Max and I felt complete relief. Max was definaltly going to be okay. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at both of us.

"I'm okay," she croaked. She seemed to realize the current situation and tried to sit up. "Where's Angel?"

She looked at me expectantly, which made me feel a whole lot worse. Calm, cool, collected I had to remind myself before _I_ burst out crying. "She's gone. They took her."

I watched her, waiting for her to get up and slap me and call me a jerk, tell me it was all my fault, that I should have been there for her. That I should have stopped the Erasers. I saw her get mad, rage filled her eyes. I waited for the slap, the disappointment, but all she did was get up and lean on me.

"We've got to get her. We've got to get her before they-" I've never seen her so weak before, heck I've never even seen her cry. I just wanted to make it stop.

"Check in guys," she said, "are you up for a chase?"

"Yes," Nudge answered.

"I'm up," Iggy said next. Gazzy nodded at Max. Max hurriedly wiped at her cheek, but not before I say a tear come out her eye.

Iggy cocked his head and all of us listened. _"There!" _Iggy pointed. All of as ran stiffly to the sound. My legs felt as though they were going to fall off at any moment, but I didn't care. This time I was not going to fail.


	5. Helpless

**Here is the next chapter. Enjoy:D**

Max was the first to make it to the cliff where we saw a black Humvee, I could see in Max's eye that she thought Angel was in that car. "Let's get her!" Max cried. Then she backed up about ten feet and we all ran out of her path. She was the first up and flying, then Nudge, Iggy, the Gasman, and finally me. I wasn't going to lose any more of my family.

When we were flying I caught sight of a tree with a dead branch that I could easily grab, so I grabbed it. Then I dropped it on the cars windshield. The vehicle swerved and right when I was feeling a bit of smug satisfaction a gun barrel popped out and the trees were filled with bullets. I smashed the windshield again while Max went back to the tree line. This time when the bullets came, they were a little more accurate and I actually had to dodge.

Max screamed, "Angel! We're here! We're coming for you!" I don't know what good that did. They probably knocked her out so she wouldn't struggle. But now was no time to argue with Max, I would have plenty of time for that later.

While I looked ahead I noticed a clearing with a helicopter in it. Chances are they're taking Angel there. "Up ahead!" I yelled to Max. Max looked at me and I passed a silent communication with the leader. A small nod. That was where we were going to ambush them.

The Humvee stopped suddenly, swerving in the mud. I lowered myself a little so I could easily attack the first Eraser who came out of the car. Then it happened. After, I would have told you I saw the glint of a knife, but right then, right there, the only thing I could think of was _Angel._ So I attacked the Eraser, but before I could cause any real damage I jumped back (if you can while flying) with a yelp. You would too if you were stabbed in the arm with a knife!

After my lame attempt to get Angel the second Eraser came out of the car, threw something in the direction of Iggy and Nudge and there was a small (one of the smaller one's I've seen) explosion. I'm not proud to say this by now all I could do was watch, I think I was frozen with... not fear, but something else. Something I can't explain.

Another Eraser came and went, carrying something. Max flew forward and grabbed onto the landing ski. While the chopper started to leave Max still hung on, the Eraser I saw carrying something was talking to her, the same Eraser who stepped on her head!

I got up now and watched as Max hung on with sheer desperation when the Eraser aimed a gun at Max. Then I found myself frozen again, only able to watch. The word I was looking for came to me now, _helpless._

Finally Max let go and came back down to Earth. _Helpless._ Once I knew the word it replayed in my head over and over and over. I promised myself long ago I would never be helpless again, then just like that... I let myself fail all because one little emotion.

We all watched painfully as the helicopter flew off into the distance, gone with it Angel. _Helpless._


	6. The School

**Next chapter. Enjoy! Thanks to all my reviewers! Okay now really. Enjoy:D**

"_They have my sister!"_ Gazzy howled. While he through himself on the ground he pounded the dirt with his fists. I don't even want to imagine what he's going through. He just witnessed his sister being taken way to our hell, what do you say to that to make it better? I knelt down to Gazzy and put my arm around his shoulders, the only thing I could think off.

"Max, what are we gonna do?" Nudge asked. "They have _Angel."_ Before Max could answer she pushed off from the ground and took to the sky, flying as fast as she could. When Max was gone they all looked at me expectantly.

"Come on. Let's go home," I said. Nudge nodded and was the first up, then Iggy, Gazzy and finally me. We flew home in silence, each thinking about something else. I, for example, was thinking about what Max was going to do. How were we going to get Angel back? What plan would she think of? What was going on in the head of Max? Was Angel okay? What were they going to do with her? Why not take someone else? Thousands of questions ran around my head like rabid squirrels in a cage. Before I knew it we were back at home.

Nudge walked over to the sofa, curled up and started crying. While Iggy paced around the kitchen. I stayed in one place, observing everything, saying nothing. Gazzy was watching Iggy pace. About a minute later Max came in, Iggy finally losing his patience hit a mug that was on the table and it went flying towards my head.

"Watch it, idiot!" I yelled at Iggy. Oops. I didn't mean that, it just came out. I guess all our nerves were frayed. I rolled my eyes at Max in frustration. For the first time I noticed that Max was crying, I know, I'm a great friend. What were we going to do? She got out the first aid cit and started cleaning Gazzy's wounds.

"You watch it!" Iggy yelled back at me. "What _happened?_ I mean you guys can _see,_ can't you? Why couldn't you get Angel?" Didn't he know what he was saying? Didn't he know that that was exactly how we were all feeling? Couldn't he tell that he was just making matters worse?

"They had a chopper!" The Gasman shouted. "And guns! We're not _bulletproof!"_

Max spoke up now, "Guys! Guys! We're all upset. But _we're_ not the enemy! _They're_ the enemy!" She stuck the last Band-Aid on Gazzy. That was why Max was a true leader. She handled that like a pro, keeping us on track like that. I wish the others could appreciate that, know that she was breakable but she was still a born-leader no mater what.

"Just- be quiet for a minute so I can think," she added. Iggy walked over to the couch and almost sat down on Nudge who skillfully moved out of the way right on time. Iggy proceeded to stroked her hair when she put her head on his shoulder.

I saw the Gasman whisper something to Max and Max look like she was going to start crying again. What did the Gasman say? It better not be about how she should have been a better leader. If it was I don't care who Gazzy is, he does not deserve to speak to Max like that, ever.

I walked silently over to the pantry and got a can of ravioli. Still silent I opened it and ate, watching Max react. She met my eyes for a second before looking at Nudge who had started to talk again.

"You know, if they just wanted to kill her, or kill all of us, they could have. They had _guns._ They wanted Angel _alive_ for some reason. And they didn't care if _we_ were alive or not. I mean, they didn't go out of their way to make sure we were dead, is what I'm saying. So that makes me think we have time to go after Angel again."

"But they were in a chopper," Gazzy said. "They're gone. They could be anywhere." His lower lip trembled, and he clenched his jaw, just like I did when I was going to cry. "Like, China or something."

Max walked over to him and ruffled his bloodied hair. "i don't think they took her to China, Gazzy."

"We know where they took her," I stated. Well, I did anyway.

"Where's that?" Iggy asked, looking up.

"The School," Max and I said at the same time.


	7. Maps

**Yo! Sorry I couldn't update sooner, I have three stories I like updating too! Okay, enough with my excuses... Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

First Nudge gasped and then I realized all the flock dealt with it differently. Iggy straitened up like someone had poked him with a hot cow-brander, The Gasman looked scared and even Max's body seemed to react, straining around the eyes, pursed lips, eyes with fierce determination, yes, everyone handled it differently.

"They took Angel back to the school?" Gazzy asked.

"I think so," Max answered. Only I could see the forced leader-like tone.

"Why?" Nudge whispered. "After four years, I thought maybe they had forgotten-"

I cut Nudge of there. That theory was crazy, I didn't need to hear it. "They want us back."

"They'll never forget about us. Jeb wasn't supposed to take us out of there," Max said. Finally! Sometimes she says exactly what I'm thinking, makes it easier keeping up the whole calm, cool, collected act. But sometimes I know what she's thinking.

"Jeb knew they would do anything to get us back. If anyone ever discovered what they did to us, it would be the end of the School," I finished for Max.

"Why don't we tell them, then?" Nudge asked/demanded. "We could go to a TV station and tell everyone and say, Look, they grew wings on us, and we're-"

Suddenly I had an idea, more like a memory. Jeb had a pile of papers in his office, more importantly a pile of maps. Maps that could help us get Angel out. I walked to his old office and shifted around the closet where we kept all his stuff after he disappeared. Finally I found what I was looking for, it also appeared to be a home for a couple of mice.

"Don't worry, it'll come back," I whispered a little absent mindedly. I brought the pile of papers back and walked up to Max.

"Eew. Eew. Was that-" Nudge started. I knew she was refering to the mouse dropping but I didn't care.

"Here." I pushed the papers at Max. Max started spreading the papers out and I helped her. Then I held a manila envelop and with an unspoken message between Max and me, I opened it.

"What is that?" questioned the Gasman.

"Map," I said not quite paying attention to be more pacific.

"Map of what?" Nudge asked. Ah, the legendary question everyone wanted to know.

"Map of a secret facility," Max said sounding a little scared. No, Max wouldn't be scared of maps... would she? "In California. The School."


	8. Iggy vs me

**Yeah yeah. I haven't updated in... a long time. Bite me. Well, I'm updating now! Hope that helps...**

"Whaaat?" The Gasman squeaked.

"That's where they took Angel," Max said. "And that's where we have to go to get her back."

Nudge looked speechless.

"Oh. Yeah," Nudge said. Looks like I spoke to soon. I can dream right? "We have to get Angel back. We can't let her stay there- with them. They're- monsters. They're going to do bad things to her. And put her in a cage. Hurt her. But there's five of us. So the rest of us have to go get-" Nudge didn't get to finish because Max put her hand over Nudge's mouth.

Slowly Nudge moved Max's fingers and said, "Uh, how far is it?"

That I did have the answer for. About a month ago I had looked through all of Jeb's files, I was the only one of us who enjoyed that even slightly- that's how I knew where the maps were- and along with the maps was a file about the distance the School was from different parts of the world. Including a place in Colorado.

"Six hundred miles, more or less. At least a seven-hour flight, not including breaks."

"Can we _discuss_ this?" Iggy asked. "We're way outnumbered."

"No," Max said, Her eyes never leaving the map.

"Can we vote? They have _guns._ And a chopper." Iggy's voice had a sort of edge to it.

"Iggy. This is not a democracy," Max started. "It's a Maxocracy. You know we have to go after Angel. The six of us look out for one another- no matter what. None of us is ever going to live in a cage again, not while I'm alive." Speeches like these help remind me why she's the leader and I'm second in command. I wish the others could see her the way I do.

Max continued. "But actually, Nudge, Fang, and I are going after Angel. You and the Gasman- I need you too stay here. Hold down the fort. On the off chance Angel escapes and makes her way home."

All was still. We all knew what Max was really saying, Iggy's blind and can't fight and Gazzy's too young. I couldn't believe it. I mean it was the right choice- we are going to fly long hours and Gazzy might slow us down and Iggy is going to have a hard time finding things in a new place- but... Angel is all of ours. I know Max has a special connection with Angel, she raised Angel from birth, and I also know that Max is probably going to pull a few crazy stunts to get Angel back. All of these thoughts took place in a second before Iggy broke the silence.

"You are so full of it. That's not why you what us here. Why don't you just say it."

"Okay. It's true. I don't want you to come. The fact is, you're _blind, _and while you're a great flyer around here where you know everything, I can't be worrying about you in the middle of a firefight with the Erasers." Max sounded tense and worried. Yep, definaltly worrying about Angel.

Iggy looked angry but before he could speak Gazzy interrupted. "What about _me?_ I don't _care_ if they have guns and a chopper and Erasers. She's _my_ sister."

"That's right," Max said. Where was she going with this? "And if they want her so bad, they might want _you _just as bad." Oh, there. "Plus, you're a great flyer, but you're eight years old, and we're going to be logging major hours."

"Jeb would never have made us stay," Iggy stated. "Never. Ever." Max presses her lips together, only I can see the anger, sadness, and nervousness there. Max was doing the best she could, and it's wearing down on her. Iggy should have said nothing. Actually I wanted to rip his wings off, he should try to lead the flock, then say that.

"Maybe not. We'll never know. Jeb's dead. Now everyone get your gear together." And there is another example of why Max is the leader, and not me. No violence there! I walked to my room and Iggy followed me.

"Max has gone nuts! She wants me to stay! I have all the bombs, I can be very valuable in a fight. Blind or not blind. What do you think Fang?" Iggy asked. Still time to rip his wings off.

I just shrugged, chanting _Don't do anything you'll regret._

"Fang, you could convince Max to let us, me, come! You can convince Max to do anything."

That was true. When we were 11 I convinced Max to eat dirt because it 'tastes like chocolate'. Thinking of the memory brought a little smile to my lips. Iggy interpreting the silence as me agreeing with him it carried on his ranting. He's worse than Nudge.

Finally I thought, Screw calm, cool, collected. Anything to make Iggy shut up! I spun on foot, pausing from my packing, to glare at Iggy. "Iggy, shut. Up. Max knows what she's doing. I doubt you would even make it to the School with all of us alive, yet alone Angel."

Iggy looked confused, than angry. "Max is the one who lost Angel in the first place!"

"We would have lost more than Angel if you lead. Maybe Gazzy, maybe our lives."

"You're just sticking up for Max because you have a crush on her!" I blushed, well, as close to blushing as I could get. When we were 13 I told Iggy I had a crush on Max and he never told anyone. He just used as blackmail whenever he really wanted something done, or to escape punishment.

While keeping my face clear of all emotion I said, "Iggy, you know that's not the reason."

"I don't know anything now. I don't know you." With that Iggy turned and exited my room and went to his slamming the door. After a couple of seconds I sat on my bed and buried my head in my hands and thought about if I was doing the right thing and if what Iggy said was true. Yes, I thought. My crush does have something to do with my decision, but Max is still right. With a shaky breath I got up and finished packing my gear. A feeling told me I wouldn't see this place again.


	9. Plan B

**Enjoy.**

"We clear on Plan B?" Max asked. This had to be the seventh time Max asked about 'Plan B'. 'Plan B' this and 'Plan B' that. One day, I want to kill 'Plan B'. Instead of saying yes, which would be pointless over the roar of the wind, I just nodded. Max got that look in her eyes she always gets when I don't say anything, probably thinking, _God, he sure is silent._

"Uh-huh," said Nudge. "If we get separated somehow- though I don't see how we could, unless maybe one of us gets lost in a cloud or something- do you think that could happen? I haven't ever been inside a cloud. I bet it's creepy. Can you see anything inside a cloud- We meet up at the northmost point of Lake Mead." Personally, I don't mind it when Nudge rambles. It's refreshing to have the silence abolished and I don't have to speak.

Max on the other hand... "And where's the School?" Max asked.

"In Death Valley, eight miles due north from the Badwater Basin." Nudge looked like she wanted to add more but a look from Max stopped her short.

"You got it," Max replied, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Good job." As we flew into the sun Max's hair whipped about her, I liked her hair. It was a dirty blonde and smelled like nature. Although I would never tell her that. I glanced at a cloud in the distance and let my thoughts carry me on.

The last confrontation with Iggy hadn't gone so well, he didn't even come out of his room to say goodbye to me. The Gasman on the other hand, had stayed in his room but had also hugged me goodbye. I'll never admit it, but I like hugs, only from family though.

Slowly Max flew towards me. "On the plus side," she began, "flying is just really, really cool." I smiled at her, well, as smiling as I can get. The reason I did like Max was because she understood the little things. Like flying. "On the minus side, we're mutant freaks who will never live a normal life." Oh, did I forget to mention she's a complete pessimist? The opposite of me. Yeah. That's right. I'm an optimist.

"Win some, lose some," I answered. Max smiled and I knew she was still upset. Usually she would have laughed, or at least given a quiet chuckle. She glanced at Nudge and I wondered what she thought of the 11 year old girl. Then she glanced at her watch, her mouth turned down and her eyes grave. Still worried.

I was the only one who noticed these things about Max, another reason why I'm second in command.

"Max?" Nudge started. "I was thinking- I mean right before we left? I looked at Jeb's old files, you know?" That surprised me. I thought I was the only one who had looked at his files. "And some were about us. Or me. I saw my name on a page, my real name, Monique, and then, like some people's names, and then- Tipisco, Arizona. Tipisco is right on the Arizona-California border- I found it on the map. Real tiny town, it looked like. Anyway, I was thinking, none of us ever knew our parents, and, you know, we've always wondered, or at least I mean I've always wondered, but I guess the rest of you have too, like, whether they gave me up voluntarily or whether-"

For the first time, I'm glad Max interrupts Nudge. Where did Nudge find those files? I've searched everywhere for clues to who our families are and Nudge finds the one with hers in it? "Nudge. I know how you feel. But those names might not have anything to do with you. We don't know if we were just test-tube babies or what. Please. Let's focus in rescuing Angel."

Nudge has that sad, desperate, stubborn-in-a-Max-way look on her face.

"Nudge?" Max asked.

"Yeah, okay. I was just thinking." Yeah, thinking about how to escape and find that address. Max was thinking the same thing.


	10. HUNGER!

**New chapter yay! It's really fun writing in Fang's POV. And I'm enjoying this... Hope you are too.**

"Max? I'm starving."

I was happy that Nudge had finally had enough courage to say it loud enough Max could hear. She had spent the last five minutes whispering the same sentence over and over next to me. Hopefully, Max would swallow her pride enough to at least stop for food. But thats the thing with Max, she has multiple personalities so you never know what you're going to get.

"Okay, okay. We need food. Fang! We need to refuel. Ideas?" Yes, Max, ask me. I _must_ know everything! Even though I wanted to say every hurtful thing I knew I bit my tongue because I didn't mean it and was just scared, pushed to my limit, and worried- all against my religion of cool, calm, and collected. I needed to be cool. I needed to be calm. I needed to be collected. Of course it was not only my religion but also my job to be all those things. This was what everyone needed, someone who would just be stable and calm, someone to lean on. More importantly, this was what _Max_ needed. I had accepted over the years as my job to Max. So for the time being, I swallowed up my response and looked for a place to stop for food.

We were flying over the San Francisco Peaks, home of the only wild animals of California (except the zoo), a perfect place to ski in the winter and a perfect place to steal food from winter houses in the summer. I locked eyes with Max telling her with my eyes what my idea was, not yet ready to open my mouth in case a complaint threw itself out.

"Ski slopes," Max said, and I nodded. "Summertime. Empty vacation houses."

"Would they have _food?"_ Nudge asked obviously more bold since Max had already agreed with the hunger/food idea.

"Let's go find out," Max said. Max turned in a big circle looking for something- probably an isolated home of some sorts. Max seemed to find what she wanted so we all landed in the about 100 feet from a- hopefully- empty house. As we crept to the house behind the shrubs and trees I took a deep breathe and just smelled nature. When we had escaped from the School I was used to the same smell everyday- a sickly antiseptic smell that made even Max cringe- the first thing I smelled when we first escaped the School was nature. For me, nature would be the smell of freedom. It would be the smell of love. It would be the smell of happiness.

I returned to reality right when Max was cutting the window screen with the pocket knife I got her when (we think) she turned thirteen. Although I have no idea why I gave it to her, every time she uses it I have a panic attack and have to stop myself from snatching it out of her hands so she won't hurt herself. All I could do was get as close to her as I could- without her killing me- so if she hurt herself I would be right there to help. You can call me SuperFang.

After she took the screen off the window I helped her shake the wooded frame until the lock on top jiggled open. With out waiting for Max to give the order I climbed through the window first, then Nudge, finally Max came through the window. Then with a silent command (maybe instincts?) we took off in different directions looking for food. "Oh, yeah, pay dirt, woo-hoo! We're golden!" Nudge said in the next room while I tripped- not that I'd admit it- over a some dusty bottles of orange soda.

After we had stuffed ourselves to the max- speaking of Max, while she was stuffing her face I couldn't but realize that she resembled a chipmunk. A very cute chipmunk- Nudge moaned, "Uhnhnhnhnnnnhh," or something to that effect. "I feel like, like _concrete._"

"Let's take ten, rest a bit," I proposed, feeling my eyes getting heavier, until I finally closed them and got in a semi-relaxing position. "Digest a minute, we'll feel better."

"I second that emotion," Max whispered. If I hadn't been half-way asleep I would have smiled.


	11. Losing Max

**Sorry it took so long. When I was on vacation with my best Friend my brother deleted every chapter of every story I had! Sorry. But I made this one extra long.**

_Her lips crashed down on mine, moving in sync with my racing heart beat. God, I could feel every curve of her body, the way her hips moved with mine was sinful._

_"You're still wearing too many clothes, Fang," she whispered in my ear. Her hands moved to the bottom of my shirt peeling it off in one swift movement. Her lips went down my body, her tongue tracing my muscles._

_"Max," I moaned. Her hands began to unbutton my jeans when she suddenly started sneezing and feel off the bed._

That was when I realized that Max really _had_ fallen off the bed- or couch whatever you want to call it.

"Ouch! Son of a gu-" Max muttered What the heck was she doing in my room? Am I still dreaming? "What the..."she whispered. Couldn't have said it better myself Max. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that when I opened my eyes she would be gone and I could take a nice cold shower. Instead I remembered I wasn't in my room at all, I was in the cabin we stopped at.

"Nudge! Nudge! Wake up! Oh, man..." With that I threw my threw my feet over the edge of the couch and sat up before Max could see my 'little' problem.

The air was dusty which in turn caused me to sneeze. I could feel another one coming but before I broke out into sneezing hysterics, I shook my head and asked calmer then I felt, "What time is it?"

"Almost morning!" Max practically yelled, almost in hysterics. "_Of the next day!"_

_Shit._ I started moving towards the food, getting us ready to go so when Nudge wakes up we can start flying again. To be honest, I didn't watch what I was putting in there, I just grabbed what ever I could get my hands on and stuffed it in the backpack. Except of course the lone candy bar sitting in the corner of the pantry, I grabbed that and put it in the front pocket so it wouldn't get smashed.

"Fang," Max started, "you can't carry all that. It'll weigh you down. Nothing's heavier then cans."

I almost shot her a dirty glare and a snort, but I knew all that would get me was a fight, and right now we needed to find Angel. So I shrugged and pulled the backpack on. A silent way of saying, _"Try and stop me."_ Of course I wouldn't even give her time too because I was already out the window before she could say anything.

After a few minutes Nudge and Max came out the window too, and just like that we left the house behind. As we were flying above the tree tops I couldn't help but notice the sunrise. Just like I couldn't help but notice how tense Max was. Knowing her, she was probably blaming herself for everything, maybe even calling herself a horrible leader.

So sucking up the backpack incident I flew beside her and said, "We _had_ to rest." I tried to ignore the upset glance she sent me.

"For ten _hours?"_

Suppressing a sigh, I used my not-so-secret weapon: logic. "Today we've got another four hours to go, maybe a bit more. We couldn't have done it in one shot. It was late when we left. We're going to have to stop again anyway, right before we get there, and refuel."

Max knew I was right, I could tell by the look of annoyance on her face and the fact she still hadn't argued with me. I flew silently next to her for the next hour before I realized we had_ no_ plan. That,_ right there,_ was a sign this was getting to her. Since I was the second in command- as I so frequently pointed out to Iggy- I knew I had to show her the error without it coming off as condescending otherwise it would end in an argument I would no doubt win but with the price of Max not speaking to me until I die.

After my silent ponderings actually lead somewhere I asked, "We going to storm the place or what?"

"Yeah, Max, I was wondering what your plan was," Nudge said as she flew up to the other side of Max. "I mean, there's only three of us, and a whole bunch of them. And the Erasers have guns. Could we, like, drive a truck through the gates? Or even into a building? Or maybe we could wait till nightfall, sneak in and sneak out with Angel before anyone notices us."

Unfortunately, Max still hadn't told us the plan so my many ponderings were useless. That and the fact I was pretty sure Max wasn't going to tell us the plan- which meant it was something bad. Why did Max have to be so stubborn?

While I flew I was silently seething. What did Max plan on doing? If she thought she would sacrifice herself to save Angel she had another thing coming. I would make sure she made it out of the building. God, she was _too_ self sacrificing. Couldn't she see how much the kids needed her, how much _I_ needed her? Of course she didn't. I was just a friend. A shoulder to lean on. That was all I would ever be. But I'll be damned if I don't try to make her see me in a different light, and I can't do that if she's captured or dead.

"Gosh, I wonder what Iggy and the Gasman are doing now?" Nudge babbled. "Maybe they got the TV working again. I hope they don't feel too bad." Knowing them, they're probably blowing up Max's and my- me and Max's? Max's and mine? Who knows, I didn't go to school- stuff right now... or using it to make a bomb to blow up our stuff. "It would have- I mean, I guess it's kind of easier for them to be home. But I bet they're not cleaning up or getting wood or doing any of their chores." Ding, ding, we have a winner.

Nudge rambled on and on, but I wasn't paying attention to her, I was watching Max. Max seemed to be looking at an all to familiar scene, a bunch of big kids picking on a smaller one. Great. Knowing Max she would want to fly down there and be all "I am here to save the day!"

Max seemed to fill my exact prediction not a moment later when she looked at me and opened her mouth.

"No," I said

She narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth again.

_"No."_ But does she listen? No.

"Meet me at the northernmost point of Lake Mead," Max said still glaring at me.

"What?" Nudge asked. "What are you talking about? Are we stopping? I'm hungry again."

"Max wants to go play Supergirl, defender of the week," I said, trying- and failing- to keep my agitation inside.

"Oh," Nudge said, as if it all made sense now.

Max started to make circles in the air that would soon lead her down to the girl.

"Oh! Max, remember when you got that little rabbit away from the fox, and we kept it in a carton in the kitchen, and then when it was well you let it go? That was cool... Did you see another rabbit?" I hoped not, the last rabbit especially hated me- biting me whenever it got the chance. Everyone else it _loved. _Me, it hated with a fiery passion. Eh, it was mutual.

"Kind of," Max said. "It'll take two seconds." _Liar,_ I thought. She turned to me. "I'll catch up with you guys before you've gone forty miles. Just keep on course, and if anything weird happens, I'll meet you at Lake Mead."

I stared ahead, knowing if I looked at her I would start crying or doing some emotional crap. She _knew_ I hated this, she _knew._ Yet there she was going to go down to help a rabbit.

"Okay," Max said briskly, causing me to _almost_ look at her. "I'll see you in a few."

* * *

The thing was, she _didn't_ see us in a few. After forty miles- where she said she would catch up with us- I had debated on whether I should go back and see if she was okay, I decided against it, but instead decided I would go about as slow as I can without falling out of the sky.

An hour after Max had landed, I was silently freakin out. Only to the outside I would look impassive, uncaring, maybe even irritated. Nudge's voice broke me out of my panic like state.

"Fang? I'm really hungry, you know?" I did, my stomach felt like it was trying to eat itself, but I had ignored it in hope of getting to Lake Mead before we stopped. Fortunately we had made it here.

I nodded curtly to Nudge then pointed with my head to a random cliff that had what seemed to be caves. I couldn't trust myself to speak. After making sure Nudge was following me to the caves I watched Nudge land and only then did I land silently next to her while taking off the backpack. Max had been right- it was heavy and my back had started to hurt. _Max._

I started handing Nudge some food I had grabbed. I remembered the candy bar and got it out. This was what I needed right now. _Chocolate._ I grabbed the bar and noticed Nudge's excitement towards the dried fruit. I wonder how she would react to the chocolate bar... I waved it in front of her and got the reaction I had been hoping for.

Along with a squeal she said happily, "Oh, Fang, where did you find this? You must have been hiding it- you didn't say anything, and all this time you had _chocolate, _and oh, God, it's so good..." I gave her a small smile, and sat down with my chocolate. When I took my first bite I almost moaned at how good it was. It wasn't like that crappy Walmart chocolate, it was like... chocolate from the _Gods._

"So where's Max?" Nudge asked, pulling me out of my moment. "Why'd she go down there? Shouldn't she be back by now? Aren't we supposed to go all the way to Lake Mead? What are we gonna do if she doesn't come back soon-" She stopped when I held my hand up, I couldn't think on that last possibility. She was going to come back, and she was going to come back soon.

"Max saw someone in trouble, down below, and went to help," I said trying to keep the raw emotions out of my voice. "We'll wait here for here for her; Lake Mead is right below us." When I saw the worry in Nudge's eyes I looked away and focused on the wall in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Nudge get up and walk to the left edge of the cave.

Then she froze. "Uh, _Fang?"_


End file.
